Railway switch piston and cylinder device



Feb. zo, 1940;

o. w. ANDERsl-:N 2,191,246

RAILWAY SWITCH PISTON AND CYLINDER DEVICE r Filed April so, 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www Nl mw 7252972, Qwfm,

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Feb. 20, 1940. o, w.- ANDERSEN 2,191,243

RAILWAY swITcH PIsToN ANDCYLIND'ER DEVICE Filedv April 30, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MNNJ Patented Feb. 20, "1940 RAILWAY SWITCH` PISTON AND CYLINDER DEVICE Oscar W. Andersen, Flossmoor, Ill., assigner to Pettibone Mulliken Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application April 30, 1938, kSerial No. 205,321

10 Claims.

My invention relates to railway switches of the automatic return type and involving piston and cylinder mechanism so constructed as to permit the switch points 'to be moved out of set position in the reverse travel of rolling stock through the switch and thereafter automatically return to set position; the cylinder of the mechanism containing non-freezing fluid, such as for example oil, which exerts a controlling eiect, through the dis- 10 placement thereof by the mechanism, on the movement of the switch points.

An example of the type of switch constructions to which my invention relates is that `disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,710,336 and 1,828,383, l5 granted April 23, 1929, and October 20, 1931, respectively, employingdouble acting piston and cylinder mechanism effecting the return of the switch points "to set position either switch-open or switch-closed position, inthe reverse travel of 2 roning stock through the switch; the mechanism referred to comprising a coil spring in the cylinder and so associated with parts of the mechanism that it effects return, under the retarding effect of a body of non-freezing liquid in the cylinder, of the switch points to either set position, whether in such set position the switch is open or closed, the piston and cylinder mechanism having a `filler opening of such construction as to insure the provision of an air space above the liquid, as shown in 30 said Patent No.1,828,3s3. p

It has been found in practice that the cylinders of switch mechanisms of the general type above referred to often contain moisture, particularly when of the more specific type shown in said Patent No. 1,828,383 and involving the air space referred to; the moisture in cold weather freezing and sometimes interfering with the proper operation of the piston and cylinder mechanism and consequently the parts with which it is connected. Also, sometimes cinders, or other foreign solid matter, enter the ller openings and ndtheir way into the cylinders interfering with the proper operation `of the mechanism.

One of my objects is to provide improvements in switch mechanism of the character above referred to, whereby freezing of moisture in the cylinders anddanger from the entry of foreign solid matter into the cylinders will be avoided, thus avoiding interference with the proper operation of the mechanism and affording greater safety of railway operation. y

A further object is to provide cylinder structures o'f such construction that the cored portions u thereof provided as castings, may be readily cleaned preparatory to the initial vassembly of the parts ofthe cylinder structures. Y

Other objects will be apparent from the following description:

I have chosen to illustrate my invention, but :5 without intending to limit it thereto, in connection with switch mechanism of the character shown in said Letters Patent No. 1,710,336 and 1,828,383, a description of the accompanying drawings, being as follows: l0

Figure 1 is a view` in longitudinal sectional elevation` of the piston and cylinder mechanism of the railway switch construction, the section being taken at the irregular line Ii--I on Fig. 2 and viewed in the direction of thearrow. l5

Figure 2 is a cross section of the piston and cylinder mechanism, the section being taken at the line 2 on Fig 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. l

Figure 3 is a View like Fig. 1 of a modification 20 of the construction shown' in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken at the line 44 on Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 5, a View like Fig. 1 of a railway switch 25 construction of the single acting .type and embodying my invention.

Referring tothe construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2; the piston and cylinder mechanism shown is provided as a` link located between the switch- 30 stand for throwing the switch into either set position, and linkage connected with the switchpoints of the switch, as in the case of the piston and cylinder mechanism shown Ain said Patent No. 1,710,336. 35 The piston and cylinder mechanism comprises l a cylinder 3 formed of a cylinder shell 4 and cylinder ends 5 and 6,-the cylinder end5 being shown as provided with apertured spaced apart ears I for connection with the linkage (not shown) to 40 which the switch points (not shown) would be connected as in the case of the patent last referred to.

The cylinder 3 contains a coil'spring 8 bearing at its opposite ends against pistons 9 and Ill 45 located in the cylinder and slidably mounted on I a rod II slidable in the cylinder end 6, the rod I I being provided for connection with theswitchthrow mechanism, as in the case of the similar rod in the patent last referred to. 5 0 The rod II is provided with abutments I2 and I3 opposing shoulders I4 and I5, respectively, on the pistons 9 and I0. 'I'he pistons 9 and `Il] are l apertured as indicated at I6 and Al'l at which portions they `cooperate with spring-backed valve :i5

6 against the ends of the cylinder shell 4 secures this shell in place.

The space thus aiorded, between the shell 4' and the member 20 and represented at22, surrounds the shell 4'and forms a closed settling chamber having a filler opening 23 infits top shown as equipped with a cylindrical screen member 24 and adapted to be closed by a plug 25 screwed into this opening; the annular surrounding wall of the opening 23 being shown as depending to an elevation below the top inner surface of the member 20, as represented at 26 and forming a skirt or sleeve which insures provision of the air space referred to in the charging of the mechanism with non-freezing liquid.

The cylinder 3 opens into the chamber 22 through apertures in the top and bottom portions of the shell 4. Two of such apertures are shown at both of these locations as represented at 21 and 28, the apertures 21, shown as round openings, being preferably relatively small.

To prepare the mechanism for use, a suitable non-freezing liquid, as for example oil, is charged into it through the ller opening 23, the liquid entirely lling the cylinder 3 and filling the chamber 22 to a height substantially coincident with the underside of the depending wall 26 of the filler opening and thus below the extreme upper portion of the inner surface of the member 20, thus providing a space above the liquid in the chamber 22 in which the liquid may rise and fall responsive to the relative movements of the piston and cylinder mechanism and the rod Il. As will be understood, the provision oi the skirt or sleeve 26, insures against the complete filling of thechamber 22 and the elimination of the desired expansion space for the liquid. l

Particularly as a body of air is confined within the mechanism above the liquid level in the chamber 22 and as the airV will contain at least some moisture, lowering of the temperature of the air will result in condensation of the moisture and its gravitation through the non-freezing liquid. Such of the condensed moisture as does not gravitate through the chamber 22 and around the shell 4 to the bottom of the chamber 22, will pass through the openings 21 intothe cylinder 3 and will drain from thelatter through the openings 28 into the chamber 22. Thus such moisture within the mechanism as may become condensed will not, if any portion of it vgains access to the cylinder 3, be retained therein but will iiow into the bottom of the chamber 22 wherein, if the temperature of the atmosphere is suiciently low, it will freeze, but in which chamber it can do no harm as none of the operating parts are contained therein.

The cylinder 3 is thus maintained free of congealed moisture and thus interference with the proper operation of the operating parts of the structure by congealed moisture, is prevented.-

The structure also serves to minimize dangerl of interference with the proper operation vof the parts and damage thereto, by the entrance of solid foreign matter, as for example cinders into the chamber 22. Such of the solid matter as does the cross-sectional shape shown in Fig. 2, namely, vertically elongated to cause the chamber 22 ,at bothA itstopv and 4bottom to be relatively deep,

compared with its sides, the top portion thereof vbeing somewhat deeper than the bottom portion.

The feature offorming the piston chamber 3 andthe chamber 22 of separable parts comprising the shell 4, member 20, and end members and 6, is of. advantage as it permits of the ready thorough cleaning of the cored portions of such structures provided as castings, preparatory to the initial assembly-of the parts ofthe cylinder structures, the relatively large lengthwise extending openingstherethrough permitting of ready access to the surfaces to be cleaned by suitabde cleaning tools.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the constructionshown therein is substantially the same as that illustrated in Figs. l and 2 except that instead of providing the settling means as a continuous chamber surrounding the cylinder containmg the operating parts as in Figs. 1 and 2, this' chamber, represented at 29, is formed only part way around the cylinder at the lower `side thereof, andv theliquid receiving space `at, the upper side of the cylinder isprovided as a chamber 3l) separate from the chamber 29. These separate chambers maybe provided in any desirable way. As shown they are yformed by providing lower `and upper castings 3l and 32, respectively, securedto the cylinder herein represented at 33 and shown as a casting, by screw bolts 34 extending throughanges 35 at the ends of the cylinder 33 and into the ends of thecastings 3| and 32 and also by screw bolts 3S passing through opposite edges of the castingsy 3l and 32 and into bosses formedon the cylinder 33;

' In Fig. 5 I have shown an embodiment of the invention as applied yto a piston Jand cylinder mechanism of the single acting typeandfinvolving one piston only, suchas for examplea mechanism of the general construction shown inl my United StatesA Letters 4Patent No,v 1,710,335 granted April 23,1929.` As the particular internal operating parts of 'the mechanism loi this con.. struction form vno part o'ffrny present invention description thereof yappears to be unnecessary.

" In this construction thef'cylindrical shell in which the operating parts are located is represented at 31 and the end members between which the cylinder shell 31 is clamped, at`38'and'39, the cylinder sneu 3 1 navingope'nings 4u and 4| in its'. top kand bottom, respectively.' Surrounding the cylinder shell 31 and spaced therefrom throughout its extent, as in `tl'nejcase of `the construction in Figs. 1 and 2, is ahollow open Aended member 42 positioned betweenthc end members 38 and 39 and held in place' thereby as in the case of the construction of Figs. l and 2. The member 42 maybe of the same-form as the member 20 of Figs. 1 and 2 and similarly provided with a plug-equipped ller lopening 23 at its top surrounded Vby a depending continuous flange 26 servingthe function of thesimilar flange of Figs. '1and2' As will be 'Lmderstoody the construction as 75 shown serves as described above in the case of the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to insure the provision of a space above the oil in the chamber represented at 43 and formed by the cylinder shell 31 and member 42, in which the liquid may rise and fall responsive to the relative movements of the operating mechanism in the cylinder shell 31, and also a lower space into which moisture and solid matter entering the structure will gravitate, maintaining the cylinder shell 3l free from such objectionable substances.

While I have illustrated and described certain particular constructions embodying my invention and illustrated and described it as applied to certain particular types of switches, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered, and the invention embodied in other forms of structure and in other types of railway switches without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber having a ller opening, said chamber opening into said cylinder at the upper portion of the cylinder and through the bottom of the cylinder.

2. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber having a ller opening, said chamber opening into said cylinder through the top and bottom of saidv cylinder.

3. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber having a filler opening, the

surrounding wall of said iiller opening extending below the top of said chamber, said chamber opening into said cylinder at the upper portion of the cylinder and through the bottom of the cylinder, the lower edge of said surrounding wall extending at least at as high an elevation as the upper extremity of the inner surface of said cylinder.

4. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber having a iiller opening the surrounding wall of which extends below the top of said chamber, said chamber opening into said cylinder at the upper portion of the cylinder and through the bottom of the cylinder, the lower edge of said surrounding wall extending above the upper extremity of the inner surface of said cylinder.

5. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber surrounding said cylinder, said chamber having a illler opening and said cylinder having openings at its upper portion and in its bottom communicating with said chamber.

6. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber surrounding said cylinder, said chamber having a ller opening in its upper portion, the surrounding wall of said iiller opening extending below the top of said chamber, said cylinder having, openings in its top and bottom communicating with said chamber.

` 7. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber in communication with the upper portion of said cylinder and extending down along a side of the cylinder.

8. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber in communication with the upper portion of said cylinder and extending down along the side of the cylinder at opposite sides of the center line of the cylinder.

9. In a piston and cylinder device `of a railway` switch, the combination with its cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a settling chamber in communication with the upper portion of said cylinder and extending down along a side of the cylinder, said chamber having a iilled opening the surrounding wall of which extends belowthe top of said cham-ber.

10. In a piston and cylinder device of a railway i switch, the combination with its substantially horizontal cylinder for liquid and the operating parts therein, of a substantially horizontalv settling chamber surrounding said cylinder, said chamber having a iiller opening and said cylinder having openings at its upper portion and in its bottom communicating with said chambei.`

OSCAR W. ANDERSEN. 

